Lonely Day
by Sugar-Hype-Queen
Summary: If you asked Rei about the loneliest day of his life, you'd be in for a surprise. KaRe
1. Chapter 1

**Greetings, esteemed reader! Been busy with a Shaman King fic, so I thought I'd do a similar KaRe one. Well, similar in setup. I'm putting Good Old R&R on hold, but I promise I'll finish it! 'Kay, so this song is called Lonely Day, by System of a Down. I wanted to try something not as fluffy, a bit more dramatic perhaps. Anyways, this is dedicated to all my lovely reviewers, and Derek, 'cause I can. /\ /\**

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_**Such a lonely day   
And its mine  
The most loneliest day of my life  
**_

Maybe if he held his breath, the foul smells of the objects around him would cease to be so offensive. Rei tried, but no dice. It was bothersome enough that _they_ had duck-taped his mouth, the chafing was hideous. The car drove on, jostling the poor neko-jin in the trunk terribly. Scowling pensively, he wished Kai was there. With seatbelts. And the police, that'd be nice. That was unlikely, however, because neither Kai nor the neko-jin himself had any clue where he was, other than Australia (hopefully), nor what exactly had happened, though he did remember up to a certain point. But then, he couldn't quite be sure how long it was he was out before he had awoken, confused and disoriented, blindfolded and bound, in what had to be the back of a car, surrounded by the scent of old oil and mildew.

It must have happened on his way back to the hotel room from the store, he decided. Traffic had been hell, so he had decided to walk, as he usually preferred to anyway. In hindsight, probably not the best idea, but then, everything was clearer in hindsight, wasn't it? So clear now, that he should've told Kai he loved him more that morning, should've gotten his cel-phone fixed days ago, should've yielded to his more paranoid side and purchased some mace. (Should've, _oh_ how he should've, but didn't.)

On the way back, however, he must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, because he ended up in an unfamiliar street ending in an alley. When he turned around to leave, he heard something behind him, so he turned his head to look, and then…nothing. Everything went blank. The golden eyed teen sighed shakily as he felt something dig into his side. Who would've guessed this would happen in a run of the mill tourist town in Australia? It wasn't like this was Beijing! More out of stubbornness than the belief it would actually help, Rei pulled at the scratchy nylon rope that clung snugly to his wrists, anger and frustration bubbling over, but doing nothing to quell the fearful panic blooming in his hest and making him nauseas. Was a nice vacation with Kai too much to ask?

Rei was on the verge of screaming, but the shriek of several bullets beat him to it.

The car swerved wildly, rattling the poor boy like a nut in a shell. He heard glass break, and yelling, and squealing rubber sounds of sharp turns and frenzied driving. More shots, and Rei figured it was only a matter of time before he was knocked unconscious or hit. Suddenly, amidst all the metal screeching and gunfire and his own heavy panting, Rei felt what must have been a white hot poker punch through the skin covering one of his left ribs like paper, making his muscles spasm in pain. Losing the ability to breathe for a long set of moments, he held stock still, even as the tumultuous ride became a maelstrom, the vehicle seeming to leave the road. To Rei, it felt like something had taken hold of the entire bloody thing and was thrashing it about like a fish in a crocodile's jaws. At least the blindfold slipped off, though he couldn't see much better. However, every bump caused something to touch (or smash against) his wound, pulling strangled whimpers of pain out of him. Rei felt his face was wet, with either sweat or tears, or maybe even blood. He couldn't tell.

Rei's head made a dull thudding sound as it hit some unknown object in the darkness of the trunk, signaling the back of the car had been rammed by something. The trunk door flew open, and Rei tumbled out of the speeding vehicle just in time to hear the crack of a bullet as it hit what must have been the gas tank, because the car he had previously been borne by was flooded with fire, and Rei could feel the heat surge travel like a wave over his already bruised skin. As he fell, Rei noted hazily that the flaming car was small and green, and that it was a large black truck that had shot at them. Shot him, at least, for sure. But then the sandy ground was flying closer and closer, bringing with it the return to sleepy darkness. Darkness again? But he didn't want to go! It was so lonely there, he couldn't bear it, he just couldn't…

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**Review and I'll update fast as I can! (Can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man! Lady! Ahem.)**


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much for the positive reviews! I hope you enjoy, I had an… interesting time writing it. So venerated reader, read on, read on!

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Such a lonely day  
Should be banned  
It's a day that I can't stand**_

_**//Flashback//**_

_I've always been terrible at ice skating. I don't even know why I agreed to come out here to the park and embarrass myself. To be honest, I'm having second thoughts. Here on the edge of the ice, watching the people in their puffy coats and fluttery scarves skid by, laughing, I feel so out of place. Takao and Max are having a great time, and Kai... Kai is floating over the ice, graceful and picturesque, like a bird in flight. He's not looking this way. Maybe if I just try to get on the ice with my skates straight, I can- Ouch! I should probably drag myself off the rink before I become road kill, though that would probably save embarrassment. Ack! It's so slippery! I need to get up before-_

"_Kai!"_

_He's holding out a gloved hand, and there's the slightest upward tilt to his lips that's just perfect. I take it, and he helps me up. I'm blushing, aren't I? Eh, whatever, I'll blame it on the cold. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, he's blushing too. He hasn't let go yet, in fact he's holding tighter. Why is he looking at me like that? _

"_Rei…Together this time?"_

_I like it._

"_With you, Kai? Of course."_

_**//End Flashback//**_

Rei had been knocked out before. Not just momentarily disorientated, but-wake-up-and-don't-know-what-day-it-is-or-where-you-are _out cold_. Twice, in fact. Once when his infallible neko-jin grace had failed him and he'd slipped from the top of cliff, and once when a cook at one of the restaurants he had worked in had a temper tantrum while holding a frying pan. Both times he had awoken to concerned, more or less panicking faces…

But never to a blazing sun and a brazen lizard on his arm; it was a green little thing, and it was staring with bug like eyes directly into Rei's own golden slits. He bared his fangs and hissed, partially to scare away said lizard and partially due to the pain he was slowly becoming aware of. It scampered away.

Closing his eyes, the blader took stock of his condition, leaving the question of what exactly had happened for a later date.

Head: hurt like hell.

Chest: Hurt worse than hell, and he could feel the blood congealing. (He made a mental note: getting shot _sucks_.)

Everything else: bruised, and hurt like hell. At least the bonds were torn, so it wasn't too difficult to get them off.

Tentatively, he sat up, and figured given the situation, he wasn't so bad off. A horrible burning smell caught his attention, and he cast his gaze over the bush around him, searching for the source. A smoldering heap of twisted metal, strewn over a stretch of burnt ground met his sight; the large black truck was nowhere to be seen. Shakily, he stood himself over, staggered towards the wreckage, and looked at it, face blanched with a confused expression, before vomiting.

Head considerably clearer, he limped over to a nearby rock and sat down, cradling his hands in his head. Was panicking an option? Nah, too late for that. Going into shock? By this point, probably been there and done that. Ripping off strips from his clothes (a now filthy grey tee-shirt and baggy grey shorts) and using them to bind various nicks and cuts, he tried to think things through a bit, ignoring the pounding in his skull. So he'd been kidnapped, and he was stranded, out in central nowhere, by himself. No, there was a possibility of with some lunatics with guns still out there.

But if he could deal with Bryan Kuznetsov, he'd be struck if he couldn't deal with this.

Rei just needed to find the road again, and then someone could help him, right? He was feeling more than a little bit of apprehension at trusting strangers at the moment, but there wasn't really much of a choice.

Now determined to find the road, the golden eyed boy slowly arose from the rock and surveyed his surroundings once more.

The rocky earth dipped and curved like a dragon's back, adorned with stretches of rough, brown bushes and small, worn trees. Cat like eyes flickered towards where the cars must have driven in wild pursuit; plants lay strewn on the sandy ground, the dirt gouged with ruts and tire tracks.

Wanting very much to reach civilization before nightfall, he began at a steady place along the path of destruction that his journey here had created. Sharp hearing alerted him to a dry rustling sound, and he glanced down to see the same green lizard.

"What is this, some twisted version of the Wizard of Oz? I'm sorry, but Toto didn't have scales, and I'm no Dorothy."

Rei's voice was thick and raspy, but the silence was becoming unnerving. Usually he'd go out of his way to find this type of calm, nothing but the duet of various birds and insects filling clear air. Now, however, it meant something else entirely. It meant no one might find him, and he might not make it back to Kai. They'd both be alone, and it would be all his fault.

That thought was too much for him to bear.

This in mind, he trudged on, becoming more and more desperate with each moment to see another human face. The stalker lizard was seriously starting to creep him out, and he refused to sink to the level of avoiding eye contact with a _lizard_. While he was avoiding eye contact with said lizard, he glimpsed a flash of black. Suddenly things seem to slow down, and his quickening breath screamed above the previous quiet, before it was rudely interrupted by the rumbling of an engine, wheels on rocky ground, and the booming crack of gunshots.

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Cliffhanger? _What_ cliffhanger? Review and I promise it'll disappear!


	3. Chapter 3

**You guys is _awesome_! Not only did you read, you reviewed! You all deserve medals! And flowers! And, uh, stuff! So, here's the next chapter… Still reading this? You should do something useful, like reading the actual story, or donating to charities in Darfur! So yeah…Here you go!  
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_**The most loneliest day of my life  
The most loneliest day of my life  
**_

Although he was nowhere near his normal level of catlike grace, Rei managed to jerk himself hurriedly downward, spotting a cluster of bushes and tripping over himself to duck behind them. _Crack_!

The sharp snap of the shots assaulted his ears as bullets might assault his body. He closed his eyes and tried to still his trembling, heaving breath, scared beyond belief that he might give away his position. In his forced calm, Rei listened intently to his surroundings for a clue as to what was going on.

He didn't need to wait long.

"I dun think 'e coulda survived tha', mate. This is _pointless_ if ya ask _me,_" griped a hoarse voice, as the muffled stomping of boots traveled to the neko-jin's ears.

They were getting closer, too close! A deeper, slightly scratchy voice rudely interrupted his panicking.

"Well nobody _is_ asking you. We'll just empty out a few rounds and be on our way, they'll be none the wiser if we don't search."

Before any of this could sink in for the hiding blader, short bursts of gunfire pounded furiously against metal wreckage, harsh clicks and snaps resounding each time. Suddenly, it stopped, and Rei could hear the clomping of boots headed away from him. Rei allowed himself a quiet sigh of relief. Doors slammed, an engine growled, and in moments he was alone once more. Now, at least, no longer in danger of being shot. Nevertheless, he took a minute to calm down and regroup, before leaving the meager shelter of the bushes.

About three hours later, the sun was directly overhead, a cruel, unforgiving scourge, lashing out at the world below. Rei walked on, starting to wonder if he was going in the right direction. It was crucial that he was, because the thirst was becoming too much. His mouth felt as dry as the sandy ground he walked on, and it was driving him crazy! However, there was something worse to distract him from this. The bugs.

They flicked and buzzed in his face and ears, around his wounds, and over the uncovered patches of his sweat soaked skin. He shook his head repeatedly, hair flying everywhere, and feeling like a dog with flees.

"This is ridiculous!" he shouted angrily, on the verge of tears.

Face burning, he looked wildly around, desperate for something to have changed. A smudge of darker brown on the soil a few yards away, edged with greener than usual plants, met his frantic gaze. He clumsily hurried over to it, and saw that it was a large puddle of mud. Gold eyes glinted in triumph, and the neko-jin stuck a hand into the quagmire. It was cool on his skin. Steeling his resolve, he took a handful, closed his eyes, and smeared it all over his face. It felt like heaven.

The flies that had been relentlessly tormenting him cleared from in front of his eyes, leaving to pursue other parts of him instead. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Rei flopped into the mud and rolled around in it, completely coating himself, adoring the glorious cooling sensation of the stuff. The piercing pains and aches of various injuries were momentarily forgotten, replaced with a light, airy feeling. By the time he stopped, those insufferable pests had all but disappeared! He laughed, for a moment feeling happier than he had any right to be.

He wished Kai was here with him.

Rei climbed out of the muck, suddenly disgusted. Now that he felt a bit better, and his previous afflictions were not at the very forefront of his mind, it struck him how empty it was out here. No one was here. No one to see him, here him, remember him- it was like he was already dead, a ghost to the world. A million paranoid thoughts rushed in a torrent through his head, leaving no room for reason or calm. What if he was already dead? That corny paranormal show Max loved was forever going on about dead people who didn't even know they weren't alive anymore. What if it was true? What if he was nothing but a ghost, and his body had burned along with that godforsaken car? What if, what if-

"KAI!!!!" he screamed, all at once not able to be alone with the flood of terrifying thoughts. His voice resonated through the air, raw and shaky.

"KAI!!! KAI!!!! SOMEBODY!!!!"

Tears burned in his eyes, but he didn't notice.

"Please!" he sobbed out, before his voice wheedled down to a whisper, "_Anybody_…"

No one heard him.

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I made the cliffy go away! Now all that's left is world domination.


	4. Chapter 4

**So… Been a while, eh? And this is, I think, about 700 words... Eck. Too short. But, I'm glad you decided to read this. Happy belated New Year!**

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_**Such a lonely day  
Shouldn't exist  
A day that Ill never miss  
Such a lonely day  
And its mine  
The most loneliest day of my life  
**_

Rei was, at this point, would seriously consider killing for water. His tongue felt like sand paper, and his throat like it was stuffed with cotton. The bullet wound was beginning to throb balefully, and it was driving him insane. The placating effect the mud had on his body soon reversed as it dried and crusted on his skin, but it was still some relief from the sun, so he didn't try to remove it. Even though it was itchy.

Rei found himself stopping to take rests, more and more frequently as he progressed. The sun was beginning to sink from it's zenith, and the neko-jin internally cringed at the thought of spending a night out here…

Or nights…

Shaking the though from his aching head, the golden eyed boy walked on. Hunger eventually began to compete with the thirst, clawing at his sides and belly, almost becoming painful. Rei couldn't stand it, and frowned, moaning petulantly. "Fooooooood! I want sushiiiiii!" A green flicker in his peripheral vision alerted him to stalker-lizard. It scampered in front of him, black eyes large and unblinking.

Rei licked his lips.

"Ah! No! No, no, _no_! I'm starting to act like Takao!" The black haired boy glared at the lizard, whose expression remained despicably neutral. Sighing, he continued forward, absently scratching at a bruised arm. Rei stumbled times, suddenly dizzy and more than a bit lightheaded. "I'll take a break when I reach that hill," he muttered. He fell twice more on the way there.

_**  
And if you go, I wanna go with you  
And if you die, I wanna die with you  
**_

Reality, Rei mused, could not exist were it not for dreams. Were it not for illusions. They were, in essence, two parts of a whole, right? Hallucinations and the real thing could only be so far apart, right? In the fiery shades of red and orange of the setting sun, the neko-jin stumbled on, no longer with the faintest clue as to where he was. He was looking for something, he was sure of it… Home? Yes, home. That had to be it. But he couldn't walk right anymore, and he was so tired…

But he couldn't sleep here. Not alone. He needed to get home, home… to Kai. Every now and then the slate haired boy appeared in front of Rei, never far away an the neko-jin would dash forward, and then Kai would disappear. Often Rei would fall before he got close, and look up to see that he was gone. If only he would _stay_!

"Kai!" His voice was hoarse and scratchy and trembling with tears he was just too tired to shed. Rei struggled fiercely to run over to the boy. He couldn't see his face. "Kai! Wait! Don't leave me here alone! I don't want to be alone anymore! Let me go with you, please! Please…" He trailed off as Kai faded into the growing darkness. Rei swallowed, and tried to keep his balance as he slumped in defeat. Vertigo was a bastard.

_**  
Take your hand and walk away  
**_

He couldn't feel most of his wounds anymore. Most everything was becoming numb. Although he knew it should have worried him, Rei couldn't help but be relieved. However, he was beginning to tremble, and that was annoying. Taking a breath, he continued on, determined to find Kai.

"Rei."

The neko-jin gasped and spun around to find a pair of crimson eyes staring back at him in a confused and concerned manner.

"What are you doing out here? Come on, let's go."

"Kai!"

Unable to contain his grin, Rei's teeth flashed as he reached out for the hand Kai was offering. He noticed his skin was warm in his hands, before everything faded away into darkness.

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More reviews, faster update. Easy as cheese. 'Tis how I prioritize me stories, savvy? Ciao!


	5. Chapter 5

**Yo. Um, I think there was some confusion as far as what went on last chapter. Sorry 'bout that. Rei was hallucinating, Kai wasn't _really_ there. Rei just passed out at the end. Most of this chapter is him dreaming, with the italics voices being those of his rescuers. Just wanted to clear that up. This is the last chapter; I don't want to drag this out, i got other stuff I wanna finish… I'm pretty happy with it, I had an idea and I think I did it justice. Opinions would make me very happy, as well as any advice/constructive criticism. What are you reading this for? On with the fic!**

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Coal black shadows enveloped him, and in his silent state of confusion, he could not for the life of him figure out what was going on. It seemed he was alone again; even stalker-lizard was nowhere to be seen.

'_What…she alive?' _

"Ah!" he yelped, surprised. What _was_ that? A voice? Though startled at first, Rei gathered his wits and tried to call out to the voice, tried to tell it where he was, even though he didn't understand what it said. It seemed to come from far away. For what had to be the millionth time that day, Rei felt intense unease begin to blossom uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach.

"Where are you, Kai?"

No answer.

The amber eyed boy clearly recalled taking his hand, and following him… Here? Where was here, exactly? It definitely wasn't home, and that had to be fixed.

'…_-**he**_…-_he breathing…-a pulse-…-aid kit, NOW!'_

"Hello?"

Still, nobody answered.

In the dark of the almost-place, familiar places and almost-forgotten faces flashed before Rei's eyes, occasionally accompanied by those irritating voices that wouldn't answer him. Sometimes he was alone, and sometimes he found himself in the company of people he knew, like Tyson, Max, Kevin, even Tala. But they wouldn't look at him, wouldn't even face him, and they never stayed for more than a few quick moments.

Rei felt himself grow angry, scared and disoriented, so much so that he barely felt himself begin to cry, the tears burning his skin and making it impossible to see.

"Rei… Kitten, don't cry."

Suddenly, everything and everyone else faded away, and Rei saw only Kai in front of him, ruby eyes soft and comforting. The neko-jin paused, stunned, before sprinting towards him, flinging his arms tightly about Kai's neck and burying his face into his shoulder.

"Where did you go?"

His voice was too hoarse for his liking, but he continued.

"Why did you leave me? I tried to follow you, b-but you went away and I got lost and-"

"Shhh, Kitten, I'm sorry," the Russian murmured, stroking soothing circles on Rei's back. "You can't stay here, though. You have to go, very soon."

Rei suddenly felt incomprehensibly weary, and wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in Kai's arms, right there in the middle of wherever-they-were. He nuzzled closer to Kai, relishing in the warmth emitted from his pale skin, and sighed sleepily. How could he leave? How, when they were finally together? Besides, he was practically dead on his feet…

"But I don't want to go. I want to stay here and sleep. Please don't make me go…"

"Not now, Rei. Not yet," he replied sternly. "You have to wake up."

Rei could honestly admit he was clueless at to what Kai was talking about, but that didn't really matter as much as it should've, though. In contrast to his previous curiosity which had prompted him to bombard Kai with questions, there was only one thing he found himself worrying about.

"If I wake up… Will you be there? Or will I be alone?"

His voice sounded so tired, so faint, even to his own ears, and Rei might've winced under different circumstances. But not now.

"Hn… Maybe," he answered thoughtfully. Before Rei could protest, he continued. "But if I'm not there, I will be soon."

Rei closed his eyes and held Kai closer, wishing it could last. Why couldn't this last?

"Promise me."

Rei flinched as Kai pulled away, and suddenly he was faced with an entrancing pair of crimson eyes staring directly into his own. Abruptly, the boy smiled, just a slight nudge upwards of the corner of his mouth, and brushed Rei's cheek with his lips in a soft kiss.

"I promise you, Rei. Just wake up."

Suddenly, Kai was gone, and Rei was left alone but for a phantom warmth tingling on his cheek.

_**The most loneliest day of my life  
Life  
**_

**Beep…**

**Beep…**

The sensation was similar to breaking the surface after swimming underwater for a prolonged period of time. All at once, his senses rushed back to him. Light pounded at his closed eyelids, attempting ruthlessly to break its way through and causing Rei to groan lowly.

**Beep…**

A faint smell of sanitizer reached his nose, and he became aware of soft fabric caressing his skin. An odd mix of numbness and ache buzzed throughout the rest of his body, along with the semi-pleasant light-headedness one usually associates with the effects of chugging cough medicine during a bad cold.

**Beepbeep!**

**Beepbeep!**

**Beepbeep! **

Rei growled in irritation. With an inward sigh, he cracked one eye open to observe his surroundings, and not extraordinarily surprised to find that he was in a hospital room.The walls were a dull sea-grey, and the floor was composed of worn, but shinning clean white tiles. A single blue recliner sagged in the corner next to Rei's bed, directly beneath a window with closed white curtains.

Swallowing in apprehension, he dared a peek down at himself. He found himself clothed in, get this, a _hospital gown_. He blamed the painkillers for the amusement the faint yellow ducks that swam across the light blue material of the fabric caused. Looking up, he spotted a clear pouch of equally clear fluid hung from a tall, slender metal pole to his right, which fed into a tube/needle thingy taped into his right arm.

The neko-jin closed his eyes and sighed, feeling the residue of an overwhelming weariness weight his eyes.

Rei thought: _I__am covered in ducks._

Rei thought: _I wonder if Kai likes ducks._

Rei thought: _Where _is_ Kai? Where am _I

"Sir? How are you feeling?"

Opening his eyes, he was met with the sight of a tall, light skinned woman with short hair and wire frame glasses, maternal face frowning at him with concern.

"Young man?"

"I am covered with ducks." _Okay_, _that was not what was supposed to have come out. Stupid pain killers. Not the worst thing to say, but still not the 'Okay, I guess,' I was aiming for._

He tried again.

"Yellow ducks."

I'm sorry, that is incorrect. Thank you for playing.

"Mr. Kon?"

"Yes Officer?"

"This is a common side-effect. You'll be fine in an hour or so."

"Buenos dias!"

"You're welcome."

"Your honor?"

"Yes, Mr. Kon?"

"Where is he?" Rei cheered inwardly at managing to say at least one sentence that made sense, even if she didn't know what he was talking about. His expression was hopeful (he hoped) as he looked towards her. She looked thoughtful for a moment before walking over and fiddling with the various medical instruments he was hooked up to.

"Bluish hair? Red eyes?"

Rei nodded, although the breathing mask over his face made it awkward. In irritation, he fumbled to remove it, only to stop dead and replace it at the sharp glare the doctor gave him. "You needed rest. We've been…containing… Mr. Hiwatari downstairs, but I'm not sure you're up to seeing him. The police need to question you as well. Your condition makes it apparent that something serious happened, and although it's not clear, we have an idea of what may have happened to you."

She sighed, and half-heartedly ruffled Rei's hair. "You're very lucky, Mr. Kon. He'll be up in about fifteen minutes."

Rei gave her a thankful smile, not bothering to try and say thank-you for fear he would say something utterly embarrassing. He still had his pride, right? No, not really, but he was eager to put that small detail aside for a moment. The doctor left, and he noted with some regret that he hadn't caught her name. He wanted to thank her later when he was up to speaking properly.

Throwing caution to the wind, he removed the breathing mask. Left alone with the whirring and clicking and beeping instruments, Rei found himself remembering what had happened. Some parts were vague and fuzzy…while others were sharp and clear. The seconds seemed to drag by, and the fifteen-minute wait felt like hours.

_**  
Such a lonely day  
And its mine  
**_

Finally, when he felt himself on the verge of dozing off, the door opened, slowly and quietly. Rei looked up to see the silhouette of a young man with messy hair and rumpled clothes, and as the figure stepped forward, he felt himself engulfed in the fires of blazing crimson eyes.

"Rei."

His voice… It seemed like forever since he had heard his voice, low, familiar and so unbelievably, unimaginably loving. It didn't seem real. Out of all the things that had happened so far, this was the hardest to accept as reality. Kai walked slowly towards him, as if his thoughts were not so different.

Kai moved the final distance to Rei's bedside side with a speed hard for the other boy to register. Kai took Rei's hand and kissed it, again and again, and began unleashing a torrent of words. His face was down, preventing Rei from seeing it.

"I'm so sorry. _Prostite_, Rei, I'm so sorry! I tried, but I couldn't…"

"Couldn't what?" _No! Wrong! Stupid mouth!_

Kai looked up, revealing eyes that were shining intensely, usually stoic face drawn into a poignant expression that made made the raven haired boy forget to breathe for a moment.

"I couldn't find you. I couldn't find you, I couldn't be there for you, and now you're hurt. You were _hurt_, Rei! You were hurt and I couldn't protect you! I wasn't even _there_."

The Russian sighed heavily and looked away, something akin to shame in his eyes.

"Shut up. You're the one who found me."

Kai jerked his head up, surprised. "Rei, I didn't…I don't understand…"

"You made me keep going when I was lost. Even if you don't know it, you found me in the dark place. I followed you here. I remember that. I know I do, Kai. Now answer me this, Kai."

"Yes?"

"Do you like ducks?"

"………"

"………….?"

………………….

Kai burst into laughter, and it was worth all the crap of the painkillers making him say random garbage to hear it. At the carefree sound so uncharacteristic of the Russian, all the atrocities of the day seemed like nothing, a bad dream chased away by the golden spears of a glorious morning sun. Rei smiled, unable to contain his admiration of such a beautiful sight, such a beautiful sound.

"You're strange… And I love you."

"I love you too… Without you, I was so alone. But I know now that you're always with me."

"Is that so?" murmured Kai, pressing a kiss to Rei's forehead. He nodded, raven hair brushing over his skin.

"Absolutely, you stalker."

A rabbit-white fang slipped over Rei's lip as he smirked, pleased to see the comically undignified look his comment had slapped on Kai's face. Quickly regaining his composure, Kai mock-sighed, traces of that gorgeous smile still clearly visible.

"What am I going to do with you, Kitten?"

Rei pulled Kai into a chaste meeting of lips, basking in the warmth and of merely being in Kai's presence.

"How about we go home?" he whispered, and Kai nodded, because after such a day…

How could he refuse?

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**_A day that I'm glad I survived._**

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Like I said, read, review, and I'll rock your world. With cheese. And Awesome…ness… Ahem. 


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